THE ART OF FLOWER MAKING
“A two-day workshop where you’ll learn to sculpt and create a selection of porcelain flowers, with artist Sophie Aguilera. Held in our Edinburgh studio. ”
10th & 11th of May 2025
9am - 1pm
Price includes all the materials. Porcelain, making tools and high-temperature firing of the work.
About the Workshop
During this two-day workshop, students will learn to sculpt and build a selection of clay flowers using press moulds and unique hand-building techniques, enabling them to master the art of flower making. The course includes the creation of a small floral wall piece and a larger-scale flower using different coloured porcelains. In addition, students will be taught various decorating techniques as well as tips for building and firing delicate pieces.
Sophie will give a series of demonstrations and will guide and encourage students to achieve the best results.
Once the pieces are completed, they will be left to dry and then fired in our kilns. Students will be asked to return to collect their pieces as soon as they are ready. Alternatively, this can be carefully shipped out for an additional cost.
Schedule
Saturday, 10th May | 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
How to make the perfect petal: Rose and carnation demo
Moulds and textures: Nature’s effects
Creation of a floral wall piece
Sunday, 11th May | 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Firing delicate pieces
Repetition and form: How to create larger pieces
Decorating techniques
Level: Suitable for both beginners and experienced artists.
Class Size: Maximum of 9 students.
Cancellation Policy: You have 48 hours from the receipt of your payment to cancel your registration. After this period, you can cancel up to 7 days before the start of the course and receive a 50% refund of the total price. No refunds will be given during the 7 days prior to the workshop, without exception.
About the artist
Sophie Aguilera Lester received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Barcelona in 2008, and followed this by earning a Master’s degree in art Direction and Set Design from the Cinema and Audiovisual School of Catalonia (ESCAC).
After graduating she worked as a props and costume assistant until 2011 before moving to Madrid to intern as an assistant at a ceramics studio run by her family.
Her work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions throughout Spain and Europe. In 2018 she was invited to represent Spain at the European Ceramic Context Biennale (Bornholm, Dinamarca), and in 2019 she was awarded the National Emerging Talent Award for the Ceramic Arts by the Spanish Association Ciudades de la Cerámica.
She was also granted a short-term fellowship at the Archie Bray Foundation (Montana, USA), an institution pioneering in the research and production of contemporary sculpture and ceramics, where she was also awarded the Rudy Autio grant.
Amongst Sophie’s other successes are the technical development of the limited edition of the album "Cuando Te Muerdes El Labio" by Leiva, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the best packaging category, and a commission by Cartier in 2024 to produce a ceramic flowered wall installation for their new store in Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona.
More recently Sophie has travelled throughout Spain as a guest artist, ofering specialised workshops that allow her to connect with ceramic enthusiasts across the country. She is currently teaching students from Spain and abroad at both her private studio and at The Escola Massana, Barcelona’s municipal Art and Design Centre. Her blend of academic, professional, and international teaching experiences has shaped her dynamic approach, creating an inclusive and enriching learning environment for all her students.
Sophie’s current artistic focus is on the exploration and review of the classical still life format, inspired by trompe-l’oeil traditional ceramic plates and objects that trick the eye. She delights in sculpting intricate forms of flora, fruits, and fabrics to create new scenarios inspired by tradition. In these scenes she includes contemporary gestures or surprises to create duality and visual discordance, and by doing so invites the viewer to consider new ways of interpreting classical imagery and aesthetics.
